Trend Watch Thrifting: Bright Summer Pants

You can tell Jason Wu from Derek Lam apart. Friends flock to you for fashion counsel. Best of all, you know style has nothing to do with a price tag. In our debut column Trend Watch Thrifting, GoodwillNyNj’s resident thrift expert Emme Bonilla shows you how to get the look without breaking the bank!

Bright and colorful pants ripe for the picking at Goodwill in the Upper West Side!

Summer weather is finally upon us and what better way to welcome the rising temps than donning vibrant and colorful hues! A dominant trend for this season is trousers or jeans in bold shades. Designers like Jil Sanders and Prabal Gurung, among others, paraded a feast of colors for their S/S 2011 collections. Fortunately, you can snag a pair of your very own vibrant threads – for a fraction of the price…

Prabal Gurung, left, and Jil Sander, right, were not afraid to show their true colors. (Photos Style.com)

Keep In Mind:

A relaxed fit – The look is all about easy breezy comfort. Tailored is good, tight is not.

Hem length – Ankle length is a versatile choice that transitions nicely into fall (paired with short booties).

Clean lines – Look for streamlined garments, without embellishments or distressing. This will guarantee a longer life in your wardrobe.

For really hot days, try a cropped pair like this number!

Wearing the Trend:

Play with color – For fearless fashionistas, take advantage of the endless possibilities of mixing and matching colors.

One color, different shades – Colors have infinite variation of shades. Take a cue from Prabal Gurung’s picture and match a bright coral-colored pant with a light pink shirt. Go a step further and wear red shoes to finish it off.

Mixing the rainbow – Colorblocking is the buzzword in fashion right now. Wear solid (not patterned) pieces that contrast each other. Take a chance wearing color combinations you would have never expected (or were told wouldn’t work). Like the Jil Sander picture above, the possibilities are endless!

or…

Make neutrals pop – If mix-and-matching colors sounds too overwhelming, wear cheery yellow trousers with a black tee and a black blazer. Match electric blue pants with a perfectly prim white blouse. The contrast will definitely make you stand out in the chicest way.

Whether you're playing with color or keeping it simple with neutrals, these two pairs are great finds. Can you guess the Goodwill?

and…

Graphic punch – Black and white patterns look fresh when paired with a bold color. You can also bring out a specific shade in a colorful top by wearing it on the bottom. For a fail-proof look, stick to this combination: a striped shirt + a vibrant colored jean!

Oh, and see this pair? Don't bother looking for it...

I snagged these super sweet salmon hued J. Crew pants for $6.99. (I know, right??) Stay tuned to see the many ways I wear my pair!

A great-fitting, bright pant is destined to become a classic: you can work it from day to night (just swap out accessories) and styled the right way it’s age-appropriate for all decades. What are you waiting for? Head out to Goodwill and get your own pair – and don’t forget to share how you’d wear them by commenting, following us on Twitter or posting on our Facebook Page.